I am considering getting another bolt gun and have narrowed it down to either the stainless 416Ruger w/20" barrel and hogue stock or the Ruger 77 Magnum in 458 Lott. I really like the shorter rifle in 416 but also like the extra horsepower of the Lott. With proper shot placement, I think either caliber would be sufficient for buffalo or elephant. What are your thoughts. Should I go with the .416 and handier rifle or the big thumper? If I ever have the shot at an ele will I regret carrying the 416?

Take a look at the article on the link below:

http://www.africanoutfitter.co...nificent416rigby.php

speaks for itself

Regardless if it's from a .416 Rigby or a .416 Ruger, a 400 grain bullet at 2330+ fps (the velocity in a 20" barrel Hawkeye) is a formitable cartridge.

I have a Ruger Alaskan with the synthetic stock and stainless action/barrel. I've really enjoyed having it. It is inexpensive, has plenty of uuummmmph and is not a rifle that you have to coddle so you don't reduce the value by dinging it up and in nasty weather, no damage to the finish or stock!. It is so light that you will forget that you are carrying it.

A Lott? No flies there, either, but it is generally going to be a heavier rifle an a little less versatile for P.G.

Both will work well (as will a .404 Jeffery, a .416 Remington, a .458 Win Mag, a .375 of various ilks....) Variety makes the world go around.

Here's a thread with references a hunt I made with the .416 Ruger Alaskan.

Elephant with .416 Ruger Alaskan

Have to give more clues. Been shooting a Lott lately? You have bigger guns?

I think the reason there are a lot more 416's around then Lotts is that most can tolerate a 416 and not a Lott. Ever notice all the Lott's for sale?

I admit my 8.7 lb. Lott was too much gun for me.

Killed most of my ele's with a .416. It ain't the best but usually good enough.

I think you will get a more "balanced" response if this ask a practical hunting question on the African Hunting Forum of AR. You ask for opinions of a bigger bore vs smaller one the Big Bore Forum. Guess what you are going to hear? the 458Lott is ok if you cannot handle the 500/577/600/700/800/1000 dejour.

Then the question it self: a light carbine vs a heavy rifle. Not even a standard carbine vs a light rifle, but extreme different handling rifles.

This is TWO questions. First adequate ballistics - that answer should be obvious. Either will work just fine. There is 200 years hunting history established this fact.

I like the 2nd part of the question: Ie. the importance of handling, quick first shot and quick follow up shots. The answer is pretty much, ALL ABOUT YOU. What can you handle and what can you shoot and how well. What can you carry. And - How are these African hunts really conducted? Is that your plan, to hunt something big in Africa? For enough money they will push you around in a wheel chair, carry your gun, track your game and if you are not up to it, the PH will shoot it for you too. Then they will gut it out and haul it back to camp for you.

buy both? your ruger 77 458 in your signature will do the trick, as its about the same recoil as the 416

normally i say "get a lott" though in this case, if you had to choose, based off your tag line, i would say get the 416 ruger, you already have a bunch of ruger big bores

I own both 416 Rem. and the CZ 458 Lott. And the lott doesn't kick all that bad. I would say
It is about the same as the 416. Standing and shooting you don't even notice the rercoil.

416 Ruger, rem, Rigby is a superb buff ele caliber all you will ever need with good solids and softs.

quote:

And the lott doesn't kick all that bad. I would say
It is about the same as the 416. Standing and shooting you don't even notice the rercoil.

I wanna be smokin' what you're smokin'.

You might want to ask yourself what you are comfortable carrying on your shoulder all day? If you can carry a 10.5 - 11 lb gun, the Lott may be acceptable. If a 9-10 lb gun is a better option then you might scale down to a 416.
Anything less than 9 lbs and they will all "get you" on the bench.
If you reload, you might consider limiting your Lott loads to 2200 FPS with 500 gr pills to soften the blow or shoot 450 gr.

EZ

Thanks for your insight and input. I really like my 375 Alaskan and have used that as my primary hunting rifle for the past couple of years. Since I already have a 458(win), I think I will be most happy if I go with the 416. Great caliber, exceptionally handy rifle, all in a configuration that I am already comfortable with.

P.S. Great article Judge!

Yes, you need the .416 to fill in the space between .458 and .375.